Labeling machine



Nov 17, 1936. I Q BRAUTlGAM I 2,060,788

LABELING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l I L I 28 INVENTOR 94 @120: 1

ATTORNEY Nov. 17, 1936.

LABELING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1935 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR loifi flumZ m 96mm,, 01W. @32

ATTORNEY o. G. BRAUTIGAM 2,060,788

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 22,

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying labels to containers, such as bottles and more particularly to containers and bottles having a concave surface upon which it is desired to aflix 5 the label.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for applying labels to containers and bottles, and which is particularly useful in applying labels to the concave surface. of containers and bottles in a superior and more efficient manner than has heretofore been possible.

With this object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the apparatus for applying labels to contain- 81's, and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a label magazine embodying the present invention, forming a part of a reciprocating labeling machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the magazine shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail plan views of the magazine shown in different positions of operation.

In general, the present invention contemplates the provision of a novel and superior apparatus for applying labels to containers and more particularly to containers having a concave surface to which a label is to be affixed, by which practical difiiculties and disadvantages inherent in the labeling machines previously employed, as will be pointed out, are eliminated.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the essential details of the present apparatus are illustrated in heavy lines, the different features of the invention are illustrated as embodied in a labeling machine, and except as to such details as are hereinafter pointed out, the illustrated machine may comprise any of the usual forms of labeling machines now upon the market. Reference is made to the patent to C. S. Weeks, No. 45 1,425,351, dated August 8, 1922, as disclosing the details of construction and mode of operation of suchprior art labeling machines.

As is generally known, and as illustrated in the Weeks Patent No. 1,425,351, above referred 50 to in the prior art labeling machines, provision was made for intermittently feeding the articles to be labelled in a definite path with relation to a label applying mechanism and with relation to a label wiping mechanism, and for spreading a thin film of adhesive over the surface of each 1935, Serial No. 22,809

label prior to the contact of the label with the article. Provision was made for reciprocating the label magazine so that when the magazine was advanced toward the article to be labelled, the foremost label in the stack was caused to adhere to the surface of the article and thereafter when the magazine was withdrawn from the article, the foremost label was Withdrawn from the magazine.

Very little difiiculty has been experienced with such prior labeling machine when applying labels to articles presenting a fiat or plane surface to the reciprocating label magazine, but with a concave or otherwise curved surface, difficulty has been experienced because of insufficiency of contact surface between the label and the article, to cause the label to adhere tothe article with sufiicient tenacity to withdraw the label from the magazine and retain it until it is wiped in position by the wiping mechanism.

Inasmuch as many portions of the labeling-machine of themselves constitute no part of the present invention, it has been deemed sufficient to illustrate only sufiicient portions of the labeling machine as will enable the present invention to be understood, and as herein shown, the label applying mechanism includes a label box or magazine l0 mounted and operated in a manner for effecting the application of labels directly from the label magazine to the surfaces of the article or articles. The label magazine is provided at its delivery end l2 with retainers in the form of pivotally mounted retaining lips M. The label magazine I0 is mounted on a reciprocating member I6, such as a slide, arranged tomove in a path transversely to the line of feed of the articles upon a conveyor I8, it being preferred to detachably position the label magazine upon the slide and to interlock said magazine to the slide, whereby the magazine may be readily dismounted to be replaced with other label magazines in case it is desired to utilize other labels of a different size and character.

As herein shown, the magazine is provided with a follower 20 having a stem 22, the latter being retained in operative relation to the label magazine by a cramping device, as will be described, so that the stack of labels are held or gripped between the follower 20 and the retainers M of the label magazine to such an extent that the foremost label of the stack will not be displaced out of position within said magazine during the movement of a paste roll 24 in applying the adhesive to the exposed surface of said foremost label. The label magazine and its associated parts may be moved inwardly toward the conveyor by the label magazine slide, through any well known actuating mechanism, such as a rocker arm 26, and during this inward movement of said parts, the label having the adhesive thereon is pressed into contact with the surface of the article 28 so as to be affixed thereto. At this time, the motion of the stack of labels with the follower 25 and the stem 22 is arrested by the resistance of the article, but the label magazine is capable of a continued bodily movement in the inward direction under the action of the actuating means 26 for the magazine slide. The effect of this inward movement is to carry the pivotally mounted retaining lips l4 inwardly against the concave surface of the article 28. The retaining lips are so mounted that the continued forward movement of the label magazine will cause the lips l4 to move toward each other against the edge of the labels thereby applying a slight pressure to the outside edges of the foremost labels in the magazine causing the labels to bulge outwardly at the center and thereby conform to the concave portion of the bottle to which the label is applied. The continued forward movement of the label magazine also has the effect of relieving the labels from the gripping action obtained normally by the cooperation of the retainers l4 and the follower 20, so that upon the outward movement of the label magazine, the foremost label remains aflixed to the article as it is free to slip out of the label box. The retainers l4 engage the next label in the stack and all the parts recede with the magazine l and the slide l6 so as to be withdrawn away from the path of the articles, the retainers being swung back into their normal position by the stack of labels. Cooperating with the follower rod, or stem 22, is a cramping device by which a relative movement is obtained between the follower and the label box, so as to compensate for the space vacated by the removal of the labels, as well as the looseness occasioned by the application of the label, and as herein shown, this cramping device being in the form of a cramp plate 39 hung on the follower rod 22 held in a vertical position by spring 32 when the slide moves toward the article to be labelled. On the outward movement of the slide the lower end of the cramp plate 30 contacts with a cushion spring 34 on a guide rod 36 which is provided with adjusting nuts for regulating the pressure of the cushion spring. When the spring 34 contacts with the cramp plate, the latter takes a slightly inclined position and binds on the follower rod and brings the stack of labels firmly up against the label box retainers.

A paste or adhesive applying roll is shown associated with the label box for the purpose of applying an adhesive to the exposed face of the foremost label. The paste roll 24 is mounted for movement across the delivery end of the label box, and it is so guided or directed that said roll will contact with the surface of the label for practically the full width and length thereof, the roll being directed in a path which precludes the application of the adhesive to the edges of the labels confined within said box. In this manner, the adhesive is so applied that the labels will not adhere one to the other, as is the usual practice at the present time in labeling machines with reciprocating magazines.

In the illustrated apparatus, the pivotally mounted retaining lips 14 are yieldingly mounted on the sides of the magazine, being pivoted on the end of extensions 40 adapted to slide in bearings 42 and being held in an extended position by the springs 44. This provides a quick release of the labels from frictional contact with the lips l4 after compression for any cause and permits easy withdrawal of the foremost label when it is being adhesively aflixed to the article being labelled. The bottom plate or support 46 for the labels is also yieldingly mounted and as illustrated herein, a spring 48, attached at one end to a stud 49 in the slide I6 and at the other end to a stud in the bottom plate 46, tends to urge the plate forward against a stop pin 50 mounted in the slide l6 and extending through a slot 52 in the plate 46. When the front end of the plate comes in contact with the article, such as a bottle, the plate slides back being held in guides 54 secured to the label magazine.

By reference to Fig. 4, it will be observed that pivots 59 for the retaining lips l4 are offset with relation to the portions of the lips which are brought into contact with the article during the forward movement of the magazine, and as a result, when the retaining lips I4 come in contact with the concave surface of the article being labelled, they are urged inwardly toward each other, thus applying side pressure to the foremost labels so that the labels are caused to bulge outwardly and conform to the concave surface of the article, as shown in Fig. 4. This presents a large gummed surface of the label to the article, causing the label to adhere to the article with a sufficient tenacity to withdraw the label from the magazine as the movement of the magazine away from the article takes place. Also, when the magazine is Withdrawn the pivotally mounted retaining lips are caused to assume their normal position by the pressure of the stack of labels. As herein shown, the lips are provided with extensions 56 coming in contact with the sides of the label box It] to maintain the lips in their normal position until acted upon by the engagement with the concave surface of the article.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a labeling machine, in combination, a label magazine, means for reciprocating the label magazine toward and from the article to be labeled, and means for causing the foremost labels to assume a convex position including pivoted label retaining lips mounted upon the magazine to engage the article to be labeled and to be thereby pressed against the sides of the foremost label.

2. In a labeling machine, in combination, a reciprocatory label magazine provided with a follower and with retaining fingers cooperating therewith to support the labels in the magazine, said retaining fingers being yieldably and pivotally mounted and arranged to provide side pressure to the foremost labels when the fingers are engaged by the article to thereby cause said labels to assume a convex position.

3. In a labeling machine, in combination, a label magazine provided with means for causing the foremost labels therein to assume a convex shape prior to the engagement of the foremost label with the article to be labeled while permitting the main body of the labels within the magazine to remain in a fiat condition.

4. In a labeling machine, in combination, 1abel supporting means for supporting a stack of labels, adhesive applying means for applying adhesive to the foremost label in the stack, means for relatively moving said label supporting means and the article to be labeled, and means for causing the foremost labels to assume a convex position prior to and during engagement of the label with the article while permitting the main 10 body of labels to remain in a flat condition.

5. In a labeling machine, in combination, article supporting means, label supporting means, means for adhesively affixing a label to the article including adhesive applying means,and means for causing the foremost labels to assume a convex position in the label supporting means prior to and during engagement of the label with the article while permitting the main body of labels to remain in a flat condition.

OTTO GEORGE BRAUTIGAM. 

